Frequently Asked Questions

How does Hashboard handle timezones?

Hashboard does not localize timestamps beyond any transformations applied by your database when executing SQL.

Timezone manipulations can be complex and may cause surprises when aggregating and filtering your data. For the most consistent results, we recommend that your data pipelines convert timestamps into your desired reporting timezone and then persist the final data as a timezone-unaware datetime. This will ensure that date truncation and time filtering is always done with respect to your reporting timezone.

If using timezone-aware datetimes, be aware that your database settings may impact how datetimes are displayed, aggregated, and filtered; we recommend validating the behavior of your timestamps in Hashboard on initial setup and whenever these settings are changed.

If you require reporting to handle displaying information in different timezones, create additional localized timezone unaware columns, e.g. datetime_eastern, and add them as additional attributes to your model.

How to find an attribute tile in the attribute tray?

If you have many attributes in your data model it may not be efficient to scroll through the attribute tray to find what you're looking for. The best way to search for a specific attribute is with the data tray. You can find the attribute tile by searching and the clicking attribute name in the attributes section in the data tray.

How do I create a line over bar chart?

Hashboard allows you to represent multiple series with different chart types. You can click "Controls" to open the controls pane in the Data explorer, and click Y-axis title to configure the Y-axis settings. You can add another Y-axis by clicking "+" sign next to Y-axis section title. You can choose same or different chart type to assign to left or right Y-axis. You can remove Y-axis by clicking "-" next to left or right Y-axis title.

How do I create a stacked bar chart?

1. In the control panel, set your chart type to Bar.
2. Breakout by an attribute with multiple values.
3. After selecting your breakout wait for the chart to refresh. The chart should automatically be stacked.

How do I display the top 10 values and an "Other" section?

1. From the Data Explorer, find the attribute you want to display the top 10 values for and breakout by that attribute.
2. In the control panel, toggle on dynamic breakouts with Dynamic toggle.
3. Update the Limit to 10 with and ensure Show Other is checked.
4. Your changes should take effect immediately and you should see the top 10 values and an "Other" section.

How do I import data from Excel / Google Sheets?

1. Export your Excel or Google Sheets data as a CSV (Comma-Separated Values) file.
2. Upload your CSV as a new data model by following these steps.

How do I add an image to a dashboard?

1. Open your dashboard in edit mode by navigating to the dashboard and clicking the Edit button.

2. Add a Text block to your dashboard then click into the Text block you added.

3. Insert markdown (opens in a new tab) for images utilizing the following syntax:

![alt text](<image URL> "image Title")

Replace <image URL> with your image's actual URL, and provide descriptive alt text and a title.

4. Save your changes with the Save button. After saving, your image will be displayed within the Text block.

What is causing my Hashboard build to fail?

There are several potential causes for build errors.

• Incorrect Configuration: In Hashboard, Models, Saved Explorations, Dashboards, and Color Palettes have their own configuration schemas. When previewing or deploying builds, make sure that your configuration files contain all of the necessary fields.

• Invalid or Non-Unique Alias: If your resources have aliases, it's important to note that there are several criteria they must meet. Specifically, in order for a build to deploy successfully, aliases must be less than 120 characters in length, consist of alphanumeric characters and underscores only, and be unique project-wide.

• Resource References: In Hashboard, it is possible to have many resources that reference each other in different ways. These references can be broken by deleting resources, updating aliases, or changing names of database connections, to name a few examples. When updating or deleting a resource, be mindful of the possible consequences that can occur downstream its resource lineage.

• dbt errors: When running a build with a model from dbt, make sure that the dbt project file contains the correct Hashboard meta fields.

How much does Hashboard cost?

Hashboard has public pricing options available here (opens in a new tab) We offer free, 30-day trials for the Starter and Team plans. If you'd like to try the product out, you can get started now here (opens in a new tab) or reach out to our team at sales@hashboard.com

What permission does a user need to to download "Underlying data"?

Users need to have a role with the READ_RAW_DATA permission to download underlying data. Read more about permissions and roles here.

What are the best practices for using colors in my visualizations?

Color theory is a complex and nuanced topic. Entire books have been written on the topic. However, there are some basic principles that can help you make better decisions about how to use color in your visualizations.

• Keep it Consistent: Maintain consistency in color choices throughout your visualizations. For example, if you use blue to represent a certain category in one visualization, use blue to represent that same category in all of your visualizations.
• Use a Limited Palette: Opt for a limited color palette to avoid overwhelming your audience. Stick to a few key colors that are easily distinguishable and meaningful within the context of your data.
• Avoid Red-Green Combinations: Refrain from using red and green together, as they can be difficult to differentiate for some individuals. If necessary, provide alternative visual cues such as shapes or patterns.
• Show progression with gradient palettes: Use gradients when you want to show a gradual transition or progression between data points.
• Distinguish categories with distinct color palettes: Use distinct colors when you want to show a clear distinction between data points.

How can I get column documentation from my database or dbt into Hashboard?

There are two ways to get column documentation into Hashboard from dbt:

1. You can use the Hashboard dbt integration. The integration allows you to build hashboard models directly from dbt models with our cli. Any model built this way will automatically pull in dbt documentation on each build.
2. You can use dbt's persist_docs (opens in a new tab) to push column definitions from dbt into your warehouse. Then use Hashboard's database column description sync.

You can also document columnd directly by editing measures and attributes in the model.